


Don't piss off the red head

by TiffanyF



Category: CSI: Miami, CSI: NY
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-02
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 20:57:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/666408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiffanyF/pseuds/TiffanyF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>***SPOILERS*** CSI NY season 5 episodes Forbidden Fruit and Dead Inside. Horatio has a dream about his sometimes lover in New York and flies up to make sure that Mac is okay. I don't own any of these guys and don't make any money from these stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Mac kicked in the door and rushed inside. “You’re mine,” a female voice yelled just before there was a shot. Mac Taylor fell to the floor, eyes wide in shock staring at the woman standing over him holding a gun. He raised his hand to his chest and shuddered when it came away covered in blood. He knelt up slightly reaching for a towel to stem the blood flowing out, soaking into his dark blue shirt. There was another shot, this one knocked Mac to the floor. “If I can’t have you, no one will,” the woman said. She stood over Mac’s twitching body and watched him die.


	2. Chapter 2

Lieutenant Horatio Caine sat up in bed gasping, his entire body bathed in sweat. It had been close on a year since he’d had so vivid a dream and he knew it was an omen dream. He flopped back down on his pillows as he considered his next move. Horatio knew that Mac was too much of a scientist to believe him if Horatio just called and tried to explain over the phone. Trying to explain in an email was equally impossible, so that left only one option. Horatio had to fly up to New York and talk with his friend. He only hoped he would be in time.  
********************

As he got older it got harder for Mac to be up all night and function property the next day. Still, he knew that between coffee and his own iron will he’d be able to make it through his shift without any problems. At least Ella was safe at the hospital and would be able to get the help she needed. Mac didn’t feel guilty for the lecture he’d given her, she had no business messing with one of his cases, but he should’ve picked up on her depression before it went too far.

“Hello, Mac,” a soft voice said.

Mac jumped. He’d been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed his office wasn’t empty. “Horatio, what are you doing here?”

“I came to see you,” Horatio replied. He took off his sunglasses and studied his friend closely. “Hard night, Mac?”

“Suicide attempt.” Mac sat down on his couch with a sigh and rubbed his eyes.

“The secret collector,” Horatio said. “She’s dangerous, Mac. Very dangerous.”

“I wish I knew how you did that. What do you mean dangerous? Ella is just a scared, depressed young woman reaching out for help the only way she can.”

Horatio shook his head. “It’s more than that, Mac.” He reached out and ran his index finger over the back of Mac’s hand. “I saw you die, Mac. I caught the first flight up because I can’t lose you.”

Mac looked around before he leaned over and kissed Horatio quickly. “I’m not going anywhere, H,” he whispered. “Except maybe home and to bed, especially now that you’re here.”

“Don’t try and distract me, please Mac. I saw you kick in a door and die in a room of secrets,” Horatio said. “A woman said if she couldn’t have you then no one would. This isn’t the first time I’ve had a dream like this, Mac. I never told you about this, but I saw the planes hit the Towers the night before it happened for real.”

“H, no one can see the future,” Mac insisted. He ran a finger over Horatio’s cheek. “Not even you, no matter how magical you seem at times. Now, are you really going to turn down sex?”

“Of course not,” Horatio smiled. “Just promise me you’ll be careful, Mac. Please promise me. When I have these dream things usually happen within a couple of days. It would kill me to lose you.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Mac repeated. “Let me tell Stella I’m taking a personal day and I’ll be ready to go.”  
********************

Theirs was a strange relationship. The men hit it off the second they met, meshing well for the investigation and as friends as well. They had kissed and played around a little the last night of the case and then kept in touch once Horatio was home again. The pattern eventually emerged that they would call each other after a particularly hard case or if they needed sexual release. And if they happened to be at a conference together only one hotel room got any use.

But there was never any talk of being exclusive to the other, or of any form of commitment. Horatio didn’t date by choice, happy with his strange relationship with Mac, but he didn’t know about his sometimes lover.

“You seem serious,” Mac said once they were on the way to his apartment.

“I saw you die and a part of me died with you,” Horatio replied. “Mac, I know we never talk about it, but I’ve slowly been falling in love with you. I’ll understand if you don’t feel the same. I haven’t slept with anyone but you since my first trip up here.”

“I haven’t either,” Mac replied. “Somehow I don’t think I’d be able to find anyone who understands me as well as you do, someone I’m able to relax around and not feel like I have to pretend all the time.”

“So does this mean we’re officially dating?” Horatio asked with a warm smile.

“I guess it does,” Mac smiled. “And I’ve fallen in love with you too, Horatio. Not that it was that hard to do.”

Horatio flushed and ducked his head with a smile. “How many years do you have until retirement?”

“Ten years and then a beach house sounds like heaven.”

“Then it’s a good thing I happen to live on a beach,” Horatio said. “Mac, did you ever have the feeling you were being watched?”

“In this city, all the time,” Mac said. He dug out his keys. “Come on, H; we’ve got a bed to get reacquainted with.”


	3. Chapter 3

Horatio followed Mac into the apartment and slipped out of his suit jacket on his way towards the bedroom. He paused at a snicker behind him. “Do you have a problem with me being naked in your apartment?” he asked.

“Of course not, but I was going to offer you some brunch,” Mac replied.

“Later,” Horatio said. He walked back and wrapped his arms around Mac. “It’s been far too long since I’ve been able to feel you in my arms, your skin against my own and your lips on mine.”

“Not to mention your cock in my ass,” Mac said feeling a little breathless. He cradled Horatio’s head in his hands and pulled him in for their first real kiss of the day. Horatio’s arms tightened around Mac’s waist and pulled him in closer, opening to Mac’s tongue with a soft moan. Mac’s lips caressed over Horatio’s while his tongue remapped his lover’s mouth. Horatio turned them around and started them down the hall towards Mac’s bedroom.

“Strip,” Horatio murmured between kisses. “Strip and on the bed, Mac. I need to see you hard and aching for me.”

“Did you bring your handcuffs with you?” Mac asked.

“Of course,” Horatio replied with a soft purr. He delighted in the sharp arch against him. “Do you want me to secure you to the bed? Do you want to be restrained, Mac? Is that what you want?”

“I need to feel out of control,” Mac replied with a small gasp. Horatio’s hand had slipped into his suit pants and was rubbing his ass. “I’m tired of being the one who everyone leans on all the time.”

“Your wish is my command my love,” Horatio said. “Strip, Mac.”

Mac pulled back and stepped into his bedroom, feeling the heat from Horatio’s gaze following him across the room. He knew that the intense blue eyes were taking in every minute move he made, every small gesture, and every inch of his skin as it was bared to the cool air in his apartment. Horatio leaned up against the doorway and let one hand slowly rub his erection through his suit pants, letting the tension build in him slowly. It wasn’t often that Mac asked him to do something so extreme and Horatio had to find the right mindset deep within him. 

When Mac settled into the middle of the bed, he stretched his arms up over his head and grasped the slats of the headboard with a headed look at his lover. Horatio smiled and pushed off the door frame. He pulled out his handcuffs and let them drop on the bed with a small clink before he slowly stripped off his shirt and let it fall to the floor. Mac licked his lips in anticipation as Horatio climbed onto the bed and straddled his chest. “Are you sure about this, Mac?” Horatio asked.

“Yeah,” Mac replied. “You know what I need, Horatio.”

“I do,” Horatio said. He reached up and took Mac’s right hand in both of his. He kissed the inner wrist gently before securing the cuffs around it. As he carefully threaded the chain behind the slat they’d reinforced for just such nights, Mac lifted his head up and nuzzled at Horatio’s erection. Horatio moaned softly and kept his hips from moving through almost painful control, took Mac’s left hand, kissed the wrist and clicked the cuff into place there as well. “I wish I had known, Mac. I would’ve brought some things with me. I guess I’ll just have to improvise. Do you have ties in your closet?”

“A couple for when I go to court,” Mac replied. He turned his head and watched Horatio dig around for a moment. The red head came out with several black ties clenched in his left hand.

“What do you think I’m going to do with these?” Horatio asked. He sat on the bed and leaned across, resting a hand next to Mac’s opposite hip. Horatio licked the tip of his lover’s erection and then blew across it gently. 

“Torment me until I can’t see straight or remember my own name,” Mac gasped.

“To begin with,” Horatio smirked. He wrapped one of the ties around the base of Mac’s erection and tied it in place. “That’ll help your control. I want to hear you beg me for release, Mac. What’s your safe word?”

“Autopsy,” Mac replied. His eyes were already wide, pupils blown deep black with arousal. 

Horatio nodded and just sat there for a moment, thinking about what he could do, a couple of new things to try, and what Mac’s limits were. He fixed his blue eyes on Mac’s face and just watched his lover for a moment, watched as Mac’s breathing increased and he started pulling on the handcuffs a little. Horatio shifted up and kissed Mac softly, intentionally keeping the contact between them light, teasing and full of promise. Mac moaned and lifted up trying for more contact and Horatio pulled back, his eyes twinkling. “How do you feel about silk?” he whispered. “Do you like the feel of if sliding over your skin, driving you crazy because you want more contact than it’s giving you?” He let the silk tie trail over Mac’s chest, back up and then down over his lover’s leaking erection. Horatio watched as Mac’s skin twitched at the contact, goose bumps erupting and smirked. He let his fingers trail after the silk, enjoying the feel of Mac’s skin under his.

Mac could feel his mind starting to shut down as Horatio teased him, but it also wasn’t enough. He needed something that would completely blank him out for a few hours, enough that he could sleep, truly sleep for the first time in months. “More, H,” he managed, “please, I need more.”

“You’ll have more when I say,” Horatio said. 

“Horatio.”

“Uh uh, you asked,” Horatio smirked. But he leaned in and kissed Mac more firmly, tongue forcing its way into Mac’s mouth and taking possession. Mac relaxed as best he could and tried to play with his lover’s tongue, but Horatio was too quick for him. He pulled back and nipped at Mac’s lips. Then, with the same evil smirk on his face, he started kissing, nipping and sucking his way down Mac’s neck towards his chest.

Mac cried out when Horatio bit down on a nipple and wrapped the hand still holding the silk tie around his cock. As Horatio nibbled carefully he stroked his lover with the silk, enjoying the cries and moans he was pulling from Mac. He nipped across Mac’s chest to his other nipple and spent some time working on it for a while. Mac’s moans deepened as he got closer to his climax and Horatio pulled back, stopping all contact with his lover’s body.

“Horatio!” Mac cried out panting. He could feel the desire for a climax receding to a dull burning ache in his gut, but it wasn’t nearly as frantic a desire as he’d felt a moment before.

“Not yet, Mac,” Horatio said. He stood and slipped out of his slacks and boxers. “Do you still have lube and condoms in the drawer?”

“Only lube,” Mac gasped trying to catch his breath. “Do it anyway, H. I trust you.”

“Mac,” Horatio said with a warning tone in his voice. He grabbed his slacks and dug a condom out of his wallet. “Not until we’re tested and together steadily for a year. You know that. I’m going to take care of you.”

“I want to feel you flood me,” Mac said.

“We need to stay safe,” Horatio replied. “It’s important that you’re healthy. I can’t lose you, Mac. I just can’t.”

Mac looked into Horatio’s eyes and saw the past reflected there. He closed his own eyes for a moment and nodded. Horatio leaned in and kissed Mac again, tongue snaking out to taste and play again. Mac closed his teeth carefully on Horatio’s tongue and nibbled gently. The red head moaned and braced his weight on the bed so he wouldn’t fall onto his lover’s chest.

“I need you in me,” Mac said.

“All in good time,” Horatio said. He dug out the lube and settled back on the bed next to Mac’s hips. He ran his hand along Mac’s hip and then one finger slowly along Mac’s cock. As he traced random patterns on the hot flesh, Horatio leaned in and took the head of Mac’s erection in his mouth and started sucking gently. Only his arm across Mac’s hips kept his lover from thrusting and getting some relief before Horatio was ready for him to.

Mac managed to use his hip to nudge the lube closer to Horatio’s hand. “Horatio, please, now, in me, need you.”

Horatio hummed contentedly and picked up the lube. He slicked one of his free fingers and slid it into Mac’s ass. Mac cried out, his head dropping back on the pillow as Horatio’s finger slid in and out of his body. Horatio kept working his finger as he sucked on Mac’s cock, treating his lover like an ice cream cone. And Horatio’s team wondered why he was so big on ice cream cones. He paused for a smirk, added lube and slid two fingers into his lover. Mac’s cries took on a different tone and Horatio could tell his lover was getting close to the edge again. He debated letting him come and pulled back. 

“Horatio!” Mac cried, his head moving on the pillow as he was denied a second time.

It had been a while and Horatio had felt how tight his lover was, but also knew that Mac would be able to take the minimal preparation. “Do you want me now, Mac, or do you want another finger?”

“You,” Mac almost sobbed. “Your cock in me now. Not your fingers, not any more. I need you so bad.”

“Are you sure,” Horatio said. He wiped off his hands and opened the condom, rolling it on. “I don’t want to hurt you, Mac. I just want you to fly for a while.”

“I’m positive,” Mac said. His hips strained up towards his lover, thrusting for some friction on his cock. He needed to climax so badly that his whole body was on fire, nerves tingling, calling out for his lover’s body.

Horatio studied him for a moment before nodding and grabbed the lube again. He used more than was necessary to ease penetration for Mac and shifted into position. Mac’s eyes closed when he felt the head of Horatio’s cock nudge his ass. His whole body lit up when Horatio slid into him, completing him. “Mac,” Horatio murmured. He ran his hands up Mac’s chest and down again to his lover’s hips.

“Move,” Mac said trying to thrust.

“In a moment,” Horatio smiled. He leaned in and kissed Mac again. It was one of his favorite things to do, just kiss his lover, drive him as crazy as possible with just his mouth. He started rotating his hips just a little, trying to give Mac some sensation without actual moving as he was worried about hurting the other man.

“I’m okay, I need this,” Mac said. He raised his legs up, wrapped them around Horatio’s hips and tried to pull his lover in further.

For the first time Horatio could feel his control slipping and knew exactly how dangerous that was. He had to stay in control as long as possible to make sure that Mac was safe until they were done. He took a deep breath, pulled back slowly and thrust forward sharply, pulling a cry from Mac’s throat. Horatio started moving slowly, but firmly, thrusting into his lover’s body searching for Mac’s prostate. He used his hands to hold Mac still when he hit the right angle, so he could run over that spot as much as possible.

Mac’s head started thrashing on the pillow, his arms strained against the handcuffs wanting to be able to touch his lover. Horatio’s thrusts slowly sped up as his own pleasure started running through his body, pooling at the base of his spine and shooting out the tip of his cock as he climaxed. Mac cried out when he felt his lover pulse inside him, wanting to feel the warm heat flood him more than anything else. Horatio braced his weight, wrapped his hand back around Mac’s erection and started stroking him firmly. Mac was half expecting Horatio to pull back a third time, deny him again, but Horatio unknotted the tie and kept stroking. He watched was Mac’s body tensed and then released all the tension in orgasm.

As Mac slumped down on the bed, Horatio pulled carefully back and dug out his cuff keys. He undid them, helped Mac lower his arms to the bed and helped him rub the sensation back into them. There were marks that Horatio knew would turn into deep bruises before the day was over. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Mac smiled dreamily. “You gonna be here when I wake up?”

“Of course,” Horatio replied. He slid into place next to Mac, pulled him in close and held his lover as Mac fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Mac awoke slowly, feeling more rested than he had in months, with several aches sending very pleasurable waves through his body. He stretched carefully, rolled over and found that he was alone in the bed. “Horatio?”

“In the kitchen, Mac,” his lover replied.

The smell of Italian reached Mac’s nose, nudged his brain and his stomach growled. Mac rolled his head a couple of times before crawling out of bed and digging for a pair of pants. “Did you sleep?”

“No, I just watched you, bandaged your wounds and ordered some supper,” Horatio said. He kissed Mac tenderly. “How do you feel, Mac?”

“Sore, but in a very good way,” Mac said. “I think I’m still running high on endorphins. What did you get us for supper?”

“Chicken parmesan alfredo with garlic bread,” Horatio smiled. “Red wine, salad and cream pie for dessert. Do you want to eat in the living room or here in the kitchen?”

“Living room, I’d like to catch the evening news,” Mac said. 

Horatio kissed him again. “Go get settled and I’ll bring everything in,” he said. “For the next few days, Mac, for the next few days I’m gong to spoil you rotten.”

“I’m not broken,” Mac sighed. He looked down and noticed the white bandages on his wrists. “Am I still going to have marks, or did you put the soothing cream on?”

“Aloe; I know how much you enjoy looking at the marks, to remind you of what happened. Go on, Mac, humor me. Please?”

There was no way Mac could refuse the look in his lover’s blue eyes. He pulled Horatio in for a deep kiss, one that promised more after they were done eating, and walked out into his living room. Mac turned on the TV and sank onto the sofa with a small sigh. He shifted a couple of times to get comfortable, realizing that he hadn’t been quite as prepared for penetration as he’d thought at the time, but relished the ache all the same. Horatio’s cock completed Mac in a way he’d never thought he’d want or need, but was finding he couldn’t live without.

“Mac?”

“You’re addicting,” Mac commented as he took the plate Horatio was holding.

“I am?”

“Every single part of you,” Mac continued. “From your red hair, to your lips, your taste, the thing you do with your tongue when we’re kissing.”

Horatio leaned over, snaked his tongue into Mac’s mouth and stroked it over the ridge at the top. Mac moaned and almost dropped his food. “Eat,” Horatio whispered against his lover’s lips. “I promise I’ll take care of you once we’re done.”

“You expect me to eat after that?”

“You have a point.” Horatio speared a piece of chicken on his fork and held it out towards his lover. “Do you want me to feed you?”

Mac snorted and leaned forward. “I think I’ll be okay,” he said with a grin. “I do love you, Horatio.”

“I know,” Horatio said. 

The pair ate silently, Mac focused on the news and Horatio watching Mac from the corner of his eye. He wished that there was a way to convince Mac that Horatio had true dreams from time to time, and that he’d seen his friend, his lover die. Horatio found it hard to sit there and eat when he knew that there was a possibility that Mac could die within the next couple of days. It sickened Horatio that he knew what could happen and Mac wasn’t willing to consider the possibility.

“Are you done?” Mac asked.

“What?”

“With your food. I thought I’d go and see about the pie you promised.”

“Yeah, I guess I wasn’t as hungry as I thought I was,” Horatio sighed.

“Horatio, you need to forget about that dream of yours and relax,” Mac said. “No one can see the future.”

“How did I know what was going on up here then?” Horatio asked. He caught Mac’s hand and pulled his lover back down onto the sofa. “Mac, we haven’t talked in a couple of weeks. How do I know about the secret girl, Ella? How do I know she tried to commit suicide and you were the one to find her?”

Mac sighed and rested his head on Horatio’s shoulder. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “There’s no scientific evidence I can come up with, no way I can explain it.”

“You do know that I’d never lie to you, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then believe me when I tell you that I saw you die,” Horatio said. “And I’m not going to be able to relax again until I’m sure that you’re going to be okay. If your lab didn’t need you right now, I’d kidnap you for a holiday down in Miami.”

“So you’re going to be coming to the lab with me for the next few days?”

“I’m going to be your shadow.”

“You’re going to stick that close to me?” Mac asked.

Horatio pulled Mac’s head in for another kiss. “I’m going to be close enough to share your clothes,” he replied with a whisper.  
********************

Half an hour later Mac finally made it into the kitchen and stared down at the pie on the counter. He was starting to be able to feel every ache from the past few days, the past weeks of little to no sleep and the fantastic sex he and Horatio had shared.

“Come on, Mac,” Horatio whispered, wrapping his arms around his lover from behind. “Bed time.”

“Will you make love to me again?”

“You’re still too sore,” Horatio replied. “I won’t be able to penetrate you for a couple of days at least. But come on; let’s see how creative I can get.”

“I should worry when you say that,” Mac yawned.

“Go on, love, I’ll be there in a second,” Horatio said. He kissed Mac’s nose fondly and gave his lover a small push in the direction of the bedroom. He watched as Mac vanished down the hall and sighed. There was something poking the back of his mind, something bothering him that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Still, he needed to be able to knock Mac out for the rest of the night and there was one good way to do it.

Horatio left his clothes in the kitchen and followed Mac to the bedroom. He paused and admired the sight of his lover stretched out on the bed. “You look so perfect waiting for me there,” Horatio said softly.

“What do you have planned?”

“I need you to just lay there and enjoy,” Horatio said. He grabbed the lube and a condom from the bedside table, rolled it into place, and quickly coated Mac’s erection with the lube. Horatio smiled down at his lover as he straddled Mac’s hips and sank down, taking Mac’s cock inside him.

“Horatio,” Mac moaned gripping his lover’s hips.

“I prepped myself in the kitchen,” Horatio said. He lifted up and slid down again, setting a rocking sort of thrusting motion that would drive Mac crazy but not let either of them climax for a while.

Mac managed to free his hands from the grip they had on Horatio’s hips and ran them up his lover’s back before letting his nails drag down the hot skin. Horatio arched into Mac’s touch, the change of angle allowed the cock inside him to nudge his prostate and sent sparks through him. Mac moaned at the squeeze of muscles around his erection and thrust up as best he could. The lovers worked against each other, more and more frantic for sensation until Horatio came with a moan. Mac watched as the blue eyes closed in bliss and thrust up again. Horatio managed to keep himself upright over Mac’s body so his lover could keep thrusting into him, using him to reach his climax.

“Come for me, Mac,” Horatio whispered. “I need to see you come apart under me. Come on, Mac.”

“Horatio,” Mac moaned and climaxed, his whole body relaxing as he sank into the mattress.

“Love you so much,” Horatio said. He kissed Mac’s nose again and rolled to the side. He waited until Mac was settled before getting up and grabbing a wash cloth to clean them up. Then he joined Mac under the covers for the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Not surprisingly Horatio was the one who woke up when the phone rang. Mac had been through a lot in the past few weeks and Horatio had a feeling that his lover hadn’t been sleeping nearly as much as he said he had. Horatio grabbed the phone and flipped it open quickly, hoping the ringing wouldn’t wake his lover. “Hello?”

“Who is this?”

“Lieutenant Horatio Caine, may I ask who this is?”

“Where’s Detective Taylor?”

“Asleep, at least for the moment, although if you keep screaming, even over the phone, you’ll wake him up,” Horatio said.

“Too late,” Mac muttered. He took the phone from Horatio’s hand. “This is Detective Taylor.”

“Detective, they kicked me out of the hospital. The doctors said I’m not really sick and they didn’t want me around.”

“Ella, no one kicks patients out of the hospital, especially those who tried to kill themselves,” Mac said. He lifted his head up enough to see the clock. “It’s after midnight. You need to go back to sleep and listen to the doctors. They’ll help you get better.”

Horatio sighed and crawled out of bed and walked to Mac’s closet. He thought he’d seen something in their earlier, something they’d used for roll playing in the past, something that would help. Mac watched his lover’s bare ass and almost missed what Ella said next.

“No one wants to help me get better. You lied to me, you said you’d be here and help me and I’m all alone. No one wants to help me. There’s no one left who cares about me.”

“That’s not true and, deep down, you know that,” Mac said. “The most important thing is for you to sleep.” He winced at the sharp click. “She hung up.”

“You want to go check on her, don’t you,” Horatio said. He sat down on the bed next to Mac and leaned over, his weight on the hand resting next to Mac’s far hip. “I’d do the same thing, Mac. I’m not mad. But please, will you wear this?”  
********************

Mac and Horatio dressed and went to the hospital. Mac was worried when he found out that Ella had checked herself out against medical advice earlier in the day. He had a feeling that she’d gone home and was going to try and kill herself again. “We need to go to her apartment,” Mac said when they were back in the car.

Horatio shivered. “Will you let me go in first?”

“She’s not going to try and kill me, Horatio,” Mac said sharply. “She’s asking for my help. Her father is dead and her mother is in prison so she doesn’t have anyone around who can help her. I never thought I’d see the time when you didn’t want to help a victim.”

The red head flinched and ducked his head, not meeting Mac’s eyes. The words hurt, because Horatio cared about victims more than his own life at times, and Mac knew that. For his lover to bring that up as a tool to either manipulate or hurt him really, well, hurt. He turned away as Mac started the car and pulled out into traffic. The silence stretched between them and Horatio wondered if Mac even realized what he’d said to Horatio, how much it hurt him, but didn’t know how to bring it up. A glance at Mac showed that his dark haired lover was focused on getting through traffic to what could be his death as quickly as possible. Horatio knew that short of handcuffing Mac to the car, there was no way to keep him from going up to Ella’s apartment. He briefly debated it, but his handcuffs were still in Mac’s bedroom, lying oh so innocently on the bedside table next to the lube waiting for them to return to the bed. With the way Horatio’s heart felt at that moment, it looked like the cuffs would be waiting for a while.

Mac parked the car and jumped out without a look at Horatio. Horatio sighed and pulled his gun, following his lover into a building and up the stairs. He really didn’t know what was going on and it didn’t take a genius to see that Mac was so focused on getting to the young girl that he was ignoring his surroundings.

Horatio watched as Mac kicked in the door and rushed inside. “You’re mine,” a female voice yelled just before there was a shot. Mac Taylor fell to the floor, eyes wide in shock staring at the woman standing over him holding a gun. He raised his hand to his chest and felt the hole where the bullet had torn into his shirt and thudded to a stop in the vest. “Ella, what’s going on?” he asked.

“Put the gun down,” Horatio said quietly from the door. Mac looked back and felt his cock stir. His lover was standing in the doorway in a forward lunge, gun in hand and blue eyes blazing. “Right now, Ella. Put the gun down. You don’t want to do this. You don’t want to kill Mac.”

“He’s mine,” Ella exclaimed. She pointed the gun down and started to pull the trigger.

Horatio moved faster and Ella fell back against the kitchen island, a bullet directly in her head. Then he was on the ground next to his lover. “Are you okay, Mac? Did the vest catch the bullet?”

“I’m fine, Horatio,” Mac said. “Did you have to kill her?”

“She was going to kill you,” Horatio said. He tucked his gun away and pulled a card off the wall. “Look at this, Mac. I’ll be at the hotel when you’re ready to talk about what you said to me in the car.”  
********************

Mac called Flack who showed up with Hawkes and Danny to take care of the crime scene. Mac wasn’t able to take his eyes off the card Horatio had handed him before leaving the apartment. He didn’t know exactly what Horatio was talking about or why his lover had fled so quickly.

“Hey Mac,” Flack said. “What’s going on here? Isn’t this the chick whose father was killed in the moving house?”

“Yeah,” Mac sighed. “Donnie, I think I need to go take care of something. Do you think you can finish up here okay?”

“No problem, Mac,” Flack said. “I’ll take your statement tomorrow at the lab.”

“Thanks,” Mac said.   
********************

There was one hotel that Horatio favored when he was in New York before he and Mac had hooked up. He caught a cab and huddled in the back, wondering if he was being too sensitive about the whole thing. For some reason taking the life of the woman who wanted to kill his lover didn’t bother him nearly as much as he thought it had, but Mac’s words in the car did hurt. It hurt him deeply.

Horatio cared about victims, families and everyone who was hurt and needed his help and protection in some way. They were a sort of extended family to him; Horatio would do anything to help them, even if it meant giving up his life in order to save them. He went out of his way to help people, even if they didn’t think they needed his help at the time. 

He checked into the hotel and made his way to the room after leaving word at the desk to give Mac Taylor a key upon proof of ID. Horatio shut the door behind him, stripped off his clothes and made his way to the bathroom for a long, hot shower.


	6. Chapter 6

Mac could hear the shower running when he closed the hotel door behind him. He was still puzzled at his lover’s behavior at the crime scene, it wasn’t like Horatio to leave like he had, especially as Mac had been the one injured. He stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower with Horatio. “Do you want me to wash your back?” he asked. 

“Don’t, Mac,” Horatio replied softly.

“H, what’s going on?” Mac turned his lover carefully and tried to look into his blue eyes. “Please don’t shut me out like this. Talk to me. Are you upset because I didn’t believe you about the danger I was in? I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to see the future, but I should’ve remembered how remarkable you are.”

“It’s not that, I’m used to not being believed.” Horatio turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. “Do you even remember what you said to me at the hospital, Mac?”

Mac wrapped a towel around his waist with a frown. He remembered Horatio saying something to him about Ella being dangerous, but he’d been so worried about her that he really didn’t recall anything else. “I’m sorry, Horatio, but I don’t.”

“I live to help victims, Mac,” Horatio said softly. “And you accused me of not caring about Ella. I’m sorry that she lost her family the way she did, but she stopped being a victim the minute she decided to hurt you.” He pulled on his boxers and slid into the bed. “It made me wonder how well you actually do know me, Mac.”

“It’s not an excuse, Horatio, but I was stressed,” Mac said. “Ella had already tried to kill herself once and I just couldn’t let her do it again. You don’t have to tell me that I was blind and she played me perfectly, but I don’t want her to come between us.”

“She won’t,” Horatio said. “It’s your words to me, Mac. It’s the thought that you don’t know me after all these years.”

Mac sat down on the bed and put his hand on Horatio’s covered stomach. “Horatio, I know that you would step in front of a bullet without a second thought to save a member of your team, me, or even a complete stranger,” he said. “I know you watch over everyone equally and help them even if they don’t want your help. And I know how much you care about each and every person you come into contact with. Don’t listen to my stressed out, stupid, thoughtless words because they didn’t mean anything. These words do; I love you with all my heart and I cannot live without you.”

Horatio covered Mac’s hand with his own. “I love you too, Mac,” he said softly. “And I guess I didn’t realize exactly how much until I had to walk away from you after you’d been hurt.”

“Why did you?”

“I didn’t have control of my emotions and I couldn’t break down in front of your team,” Horatio admitted. “I knew that you’d be able to find me.”

“Always,” Mac said. “And I have a confession to make, Horatio. When I was on the ground and I saw you in the doorway, my body reacted. I realized I’ve never seen you so sexy before.”

“Your life has never been on the line before,” Horatio said with a smile. “That’s not a side of me you’re going to see often.”

“That’s too bad because it’s really hot,” Mac smiled. “I can tell you’re still upset, H, but thank you for giving me another chance here. I’m not really sure I deserve it.”

Horatio rubbed the back of Mac’s hand with his thumb. “You’re the man I love, Mac,” he said. “It’s stupid to think we’re not going to fight. You deserve everything I can give you and I’ve given you my heart.”

“So does that mean I can join you in bed?”

“It seems a shame to let it go to waste,” Horatio smiled. “But Mac, we don’t have any supplies here with us.”

Mac glanced at the clock. “Considering the time, and the fact that I have to be in the office in a few hours to file a report, I think all I really want to do is sleep,” he said. He curled up next to Horatio and rested his head on his lover’s shoulder.

Horatio kissed the top of Mac’s head with a smile. “Then sleep, Mac. We have all the time in the world.”


End file.
